Feds approve Texas’ plan for $3 billion to expand broadband access

Subscribe to The Y’all — a weekly dispatch about the people, places and policies defining Texas, produced by Texas Tribune journalists living in communities across the state.

---

Texas won federal approval Tuesday to move forward with its plan to improve broadband internet access for the estimated 7 million residents who are not connected.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the federal agency that advises the President on telecommunications policy issues, approved Texas’ plan to use about $3.3 billion in federal money, part of the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment, or BEAD, program.

The $42.45 billion program is part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The NTIA made the announcement Tuesday that proposals for how the money will be used have now been approved in every state, territory and the District of Columbia.

Texas received the most money of any state. Texas first submitted its plan in December 2023.

At the same time, the state has awarded more than $1 billion in state and federal tax dollars for broadband investments.

“The BEAD program has taken some time,” said Greg Conte, director of the Texas Broadband Development Office. “But what we’ve developed and had approved this morning shows how we’re approaching this in a methodical way.”

The office announced grant awards for their Bringing Online Opportunities to Texas program, or BOOT, earlier this year. On Monday, applicants in 15 counties were awarded $580 million to connect 80,000 locations.

Texas will not begin spending the $3 billion right away. First, Internet service providers, nonprofits, and local and tribal governments have a chance to challenge federal maps that show where an internet connection is needed.

Those maps will help influence where the billions will be spent.

There will likely be several challenges, as service providers and local officials have questioned the accuracy of the map.

“We want to make sure the data being provided to us by the federal government is accurate and up to date,” Conte said.

In a statement, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo congratulated the BDO, saying “We look forward to working with you to ensure that everyone in the state is connected.”

The BEAD Challenge Process will open on Dec. 3 through Dec. 17.